Portable multiple-section display cases



Aug. 24, 1965 J, L w 3,202,469

PORTABLE MULTIPLE-SECTION DISPLAY CASES Filed Jan. 15, 1963 United States Patent 3,202,469 ?0RTABLE MULTgPLE-SECTIGN DEPLAY ASES Joseph Lawe, New York, N.Y., assignor to The 'Setwell Company, Traverse City, Mich. Filed Jan. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 251,673 1 Claim. (Cl. 312-206) This invention relates generally to portable display cases, and more particularly to a multiple-section display case which also functions as its own shipping container, and which may be set up in various ways to aiford optimum display facilities within any available space.

In display centers, exhibition halls and at trade centers, it is the conventional practice for each exhibitor to erect a display of his wares and of appropriate advertising material. Ordinarily this is done by shipping advertising panels, samples and other promotional materials to the exhibition site and then erecting suitable show cases or booths for the display thereof. Since the available space may dilfer in each instance, the traveling exhibitor, in displaying the same material, must nevertheless accommodate his arrangement of show cases to conform to the assigned space.

For example, the exhibitor may be assigned straightline wall space in one situation, in which event his exhibition will necessarily be backed against the wall, while in another case the available space may lie in an open area accessible from all sides, in which event his exhibition is best arranged as a four-faced affair which can be seen from any direction. In other instances, the exhibitor may be assigned an aisle area calling for a two-sided exposure.

The need to rearrange and re-erect an exhibition with each new display is both expensive and time-consuming, for it requires not only the dismantling of the exhibit but also its recrating and shipment to the new site, as well as the reconstruction of the display cases. Moreover, with continued shipping and re-erection of the display, the recurrent handling tends to soil and damage the display materials which assume a shabby, unattractive appearance.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the invention to provide a multiple-section display case, each section of which contains exhibition material, the case functioning also as a self-sutiicient shipping container.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a display case formed of articulated sections which fold together to form an enclosed shipping container, the sections being unfoldable into a variety of geometric configurations to constitute an exhibition which conforms to any available space.

Also an object of the invention is to provide a display case of the above type which substantially reduces the cost of shipping and setting up trade exhibitions.

Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished by a multiple-section show case, each section of which constitutes a prismatic quadrant of a rectangular shipping box whose sides constitute the back walls of the display sections and whose ends constitute the canopies and platforms thereof, the back walls being hinged together whereby the sections may be orientated relative to each other in various geometric configurations.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other features and objects thereof, reference is had to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the annexed drawing wherein like elements in the various figures are identified by like reference numetals.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a portable display case in accordance with the invention, with the sections folded together to form a shipping container;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a single section;

FIG. 3 is a side view of said single section;

FIG. 4 shows the unfolded sections affording a linear display; and

FlGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 show different configurations formed by the unfolded sections.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the multiple-section portable display case is constituted by orientated sections A, B, C and D, each one of which forms a prismatic quadrant of a rectangular box. Sections A, B, C and D are hinged together by three suitable metal, fabric or plastic hinging strips 10, 11 and 12, and when the quadrants are folded together for shipment, the end sections are locked or latched together by suitable straps or clamps 13.

The dimensions of the container side walls and hence of the individual sections may be as great as 12 by 44 feet, or much smaller, but of course these dimensions depend on the nature of the material to be displayed and the purpose to which the exhibition is to be put. Miniature, hand-carried displays making use of the same principles may also be constructed.

Each quadrant is constituted by a rectangular back panel 14 of sufiicient rigidity and strength to serve as a wall of the shipping container. The back panels may be reinforced by suitable channel members. A hollow, triangular segment or wedge 15 is attached to the upper end thereof, and a hollow wedge 1-5 of greater depth is attached to the lower end thereof. The upper wedge 15 serves as a canopy for the display section and contains suitable light fixtures 17 to illuminate the display. The lower wedge 16 serves as a platform and may be provided with a hinged door 18 so that the interior space thereof may be used for storage purposes. The end wedges of the individual show case sections act as the ends of the container when the sections are folded together in the manner shown in FIG. 1.

Advertising material may be carried on the inner surface 14a of the back panel, and various materials may be mounted on the platform or on the back panel. In addition, a vertical partition 19 indicated in dotted lines, may be attached between the canopy and platform to divide the exhibition or provide a further area for display purposes. This partition, while shown positioned perpendicularly to the back panel, may be aligned in parallel therewith or at any other angle.

When the sections are unfolded, there may be arranged any one of a great variety of configurations. The simplest is that shown in FIG. 4, wherein the back panels are in coplanar arrangement to provide a straight-line display appropriately placed against a wall, the display being made up of four show cases. The dimensions of the individual show cases may be doubled in the manner indicated in FIG. 5, in which the quadrants are arranged to form two large triangular compartments.

In FIG. 6, the quadrants are arranged to form a fourfaceted diamond surrounding a rectangular hollow space. This arrangement is suitable for an open exhibition area. In FIG. 7, a variant is shown in which a double triangular show case is provided at either end, with smaller wings. In FIG. 8, two show cases are visible on either side of the display, this being suitable for a free aisle.

It will be appreciated that for larger exhibits, several show-case boxes of the above-described type may be used in diverse combinations to provide a highly varied arrangement of individual display cases. The structure is adapted to divide an open exhibition area into rooms, and it is also possible to make use of back surfaces of the section panels for display purposes.

a) While there has been shown what is considered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential spirit of the invention. Thus, the box may beof cylindrical shape, with the individual quadrants provided with arcuate Walls. It is intended in the annexed claim to cover all such modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention;

What is claimed is:

erecting exhibitions of articles, said case comprising:

(A) four prismatic quadrants of like construction, each including a vertical back panel,

(B) a wedge-shaped canopy attached to the upper end of each of said panels and provided with lighting means to illuminate said quadrants,

(C) a wedge-shaped platform attached to the lower end of each of said panels to elevate an article displayed thereon and to provide a stage therefor, said platform including a hinged'do or to previde a useable storage area,

(D) a partition extending between at least one of said platforms and the associated canopy, and

(E) means hinging said back panels together whereby when said quadrants are folded together they form D. 99,419 D. 140,985 D. 183,474 397,980 443,397 611,063 786,719 1,416,566 1,730,816 1,954,013 3,028,210 3,115,719

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Schiller.

Sawyer 1 206--45.11 X Wintersteen 3 l2ll7 Griest.

Mack.

Davis 20645.l1 Berolzheimer 21169 McCleary 3l2-223 X Grigg 206--45.1l X Lilienfield 20645.11 Byars 312-223 Mapson 312114 X Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner. 

